Sopa de Albondigas

Sopa de Albondigas

Meatballs are an American favorite, but put into this soup, they're a delicious Mexican tradition. Mint is what makes them so tasty, but if you don't like that, oregano is a great substitute. Make sure to use very lean ground beef as these are cooked right in the broth and you don't want a lot of grease to contend with.

Sopa de Albondigas

Sopa de Albondigas (Mexican Meatball Soup)
Hands-On Time: 20 minutes
Ready In: 50 minutes
Serves: 6
Price Per Serving: $1.80

Ingredients:

1 pound 90% lean ground beef
1 large egg
1/3 cup raw white rice
2 teaspoons crushed dried mint
2 teaspoons crushed dried parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 Tablespoons cooking oil
1 medium yellow onion - chopped
2 large carrots peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic - minced
4 cups chicken stock
4 cups beef stock
1 cup tomato sauce
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chiles
2 cups fresh green beans cut in 1-inch lengths
1 teaspoon dried crushed oregano


Directions:

1. Mix together ground beef, egg, rice, mint, parsley, salt and pepper until well combined. Roll into 1-inch meatballs and set aside.
2. In a large stock pot heat oil over medium-high heat and add onion, garlic and carrots. Cook and stir until onion is translucent.
3. Pour in stocks and tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Once stock is boiling, drop in meatballs and turn heat down so soup is simmering. Cook for 15 minutes.
4. Add green beans and cook for another 15 minutes. Add chiles and oregano and cook another 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Black Bean and Ham Soup

Black Bean and Ham Soup

This is one of the simplest soups to make and a great way to use up leftover ham. The flavor is mild and savory and you can add almost anything to the top as a garnish. Dinner is ready in 35 minutes and a simple salad and good bread make it complete.

Black Bean and Ham Soup
Printable Recipe
Hands-On Time: 10 minutes
Ready In: 35 minutes
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons cooking oil
1 cup green pepper - diced small
1 small yellow onion - diced small
1 clove garlic - minced
2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, drained
4 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cups leftover ham diced small
sour cream
chopped cilantro

Directions:

1. Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat and add oil. Saute green pepper and onion with garlic until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add stock, beans, bay leaf, cumin, oregano and ham. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
3. Remove bay leaf and serve topped with sour cream and fresh cilantro.

Cauliflower and Watercress Soup

Cauliflower and Watercress Soup

When I first had to change my diet to be more aware of the carbohydrates I was eating (I'm hypoglycemic) I struggled to find foods I really liked that weren't also full of fat and cholesterol. One quick Google search for low fat and low carb will lead you to very few real solutions; it's difficult to have both at once.

This soup was a savior. It's low in carbohydrate, calories AND fat. In fact, the fat in this is so low it barely registers. The best thing is, there's no way you'll miss it. I had already made Cauliflower Leek Soup but I was unwilling to add in half and half and skim milk would be pointless and just extra calories.

The real star to this is the cauliflower. Once cooked and pureed, it's got a velvety smooth texture that tricks your taste buds into believing there's a lot of fat there. You can easily switch out the watercress for another green like spinach and feel free to add in whatever herbs you like. This is the bare-bones recipe and I like it just fine this way.

Cauliflower and Watercress Soup
Printable Recipe
Hands-On Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

1 large head cauliflower (about 1 1/2 pounds) broken into small pieces
1 bunch watercress, large stems removed
4 cups fat free vegetable stock
Kosher salt and white pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Combine stock, cauliflower and watercress in a large soup pot. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Lid well and cook until veggies are tender, about 20 minutes.
2. Puree in batches until smooth and return to pot or use a stick blender directly in the cooking pot. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir well, check for seasoning and serve.

Meatball Fazool!

What? OK, let me explain. I'm cheating. No, not like that.

Being a fairly new single mom (but, highly spoken for ... haha, see what I did there?) I find myself making shortcuts here and there that I maybe didn't used to make. I work 55-60 hours a week at one job and when I have work elsewhere that can take a huge chunk of my time, as well. Between all the kids' needs and work and online commitments, I don't always have time to cook as I'd like.

That being said, this past week was a double-header as far as football goes. My boyfriend was watching the Eagles and right after, I was watching the Steelers (well, we watched both together, but you get the idea). Football watching is NOT to be done without some kind of not-so-good-for-you food.

A favorite here is mini meatball subs. Basically meatballs in any type of tomato sauce (this week it was one I made from fresh tomatoes) and little rolls about 4 inches in length. You can really only fit 3 meatballs in each so I usually have leftovers.

Add to that some cannellini beans, small pasta and a handful or celery, carrots and onions and you have Meatball Fazool - or a version of Pasta e Fagioli with meatballs thrown in. It's good.

So, no recipe, you can look HERE for that and swap out the tomatoes for sauce and add a pound of pre-made meatballs and,voilà - good stuff. I did half of everything as I only had half a pound of meatballs left. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Stuffed Pepper Soup

When I was growing up my mom made the absolute best stuffed peppers. As much as I love them, my kids don't so much so this soup combines the flavors I love and the texture and form that the kids will actually eat.

I debated putting rice in this because mom's stuffed peppers never had rice added to the meat mixture. I did add it, though because most people seem to be used to the meat/rice variety of stuffed peppers.

This turned out well and you can adjust the ingredient amounts to your liking without affecting the overall flavor very much. The consistency of this is closer to a stew than a soup. Adjust the stock to your liking to make it thinner.

Stuffed Pepper Soup
Serves 4-6
Printable Recipe

2  Tablespoons olive oil
1  small onion - chopped
1  clove garlic - minced
3 medium peppers (I use tri-color) - diced
1  pound meatloaf mix or lean ground beef
1 can crushed tomatoes - undrained (14 ounce)
6 cups chicken, beef or vegetable stock
1/2  cup  uncooked rice
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste


In a large soup pot with a heavy bottom sauté onion, garlic, and green pepper in oil until tender. Stir meat into vegetables and cook until meat is browned, about 10 minutes, stirring often so meat is in small chunks. Stir in rice,  tomatoes, juice, stock, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper.  Cover and simmer 45 minutes or until rice is cooked. Adjust liquid if necessary.  Taste for seasoning and serve hot.

Cajun Beef Soup

I had this in, of all places, a hospital cafeteria recently and it was so good I found myself pushing the ingredients around and taking notes so I would be able to recreate it. The only thing missing here is baby lima beans, which I find most people don't like much anyway (but I adore), so I left them out.

This is a thick and hearty soup closer to a stew and the flavor is very rich. Step up the heat however you like with more cayenne or even a good hot sauce. Substitute the spices and herbs for a good quality Cajun seasoning - a tablespoon or so should do it.

Cajun Beef Soup

Printable Recipe

Ready In: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Serves: 8-10

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

1 cup diced onion

1 cup diced green pepper

2 cloves garlic

8 cups beef stock

2 cups diced carrots

2 cups diced potato

2 cups frozen corn kernels

2 cups black eyed peas

3 cups chopped cabbage

1 can diced tomatoes - undrained

1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon salt

1. In a large soup pot brown ground beef with onion and green pepper. Drain well.

2. Add garlic and beef stock and cover with a heavy lid. Simmer for half an hour until beef is very tender.

3. Add remaining ingredients and lid again. Simmer for another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Soup is done when vegetables are tender and soup base is thick.

White Bean and Kale Soup (with Sausage)

White bean and kale soup is nothing new. In fact, there are a veritable treasure trove of recipes for this one across the web and in many cookbooks. The sausage is in parentheses here because it truly is optional.

Go vegetarian with vegetable stock, add carrots for color and feel free to use any sausage you like. Variation and additions can only make this one better. On a day like today (we had nearly a foot of snow overnight) this is a bowl full of bliss.

White Bean and Kale Soup (with Sausage)
Printable Recipe
Hands-On Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 6 - 8

Ingredients:

2 T olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
6 cups stock - chicken or vegetable
6 cups water
1 pound kale, cleaned and chopped, large stems removed
2 cans (15 ounces each) small white beans, drained and rinsed
1 pound smoked sausage, sliced thinly
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook until
translucent.
2. Add stock, water and kale. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. Cook for 20 minutes.
3. Add beans and sausage and cook for another 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cauliflower Leek Soup

In a household filled with kids, cheese soups are a favorite. This one was gone so quickly and when I realized the kids thought there was cheese in it I knew why. I told them there was none and they were all surprised, but asked for seconds anyway. Guess that means this one is a keeper. It's another super-simple one and made really quickly.

Cauliflower Leek Soup
Printable Recipe
Hands-On Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

2 large leeks - green parts removed, split lengthwise, washed well and sliced thinly
1 head cauliflower (about 1 1/2 pounds) broken into small pieces
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup half and half
salt and white pepper to taste
freshly grated nutmeg

Directions:

1. Combine stock, leeks and cauliflower in a large soup pot. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Lid well and cook until veggies are tender, about 20 minutes.
2. Puree in batches until smooth and return to pot. Add cream, salt and pepper. Stir well.
3. Top each bowl with freshly grated nutmeg.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Pot pie has been big stuff around here since I was a kid. There have been arguments about the differences between Pennsylvania Dutch pot pie and the kind I grew up on, but that's a whole different post.

This is based on the actual pie type of pot pie with a tiny twist, the pie dough is puff pastry baked with shredded cheese on top. Those little extras can really put an ordinary bowl of soup over the top.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Printable Recipe
Hands-On Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

1 small leek - cleaned well and sliced thinly - white part only
8 cups chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
2 cups diced white potatoes
2 cups diced carrot
2 cups frozen cut green beans
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts - cooked and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 sheet puff pastry
1 egg white - beaten
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat chicken stock in a large soup pot to boiling. Add leek, potatoes, carrots, bay leaf and thyme. Reduce to a simmer and cook until vegetables are tender - about 20 minutes.
2. Add chicken and green beans and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove bay leaf and thicken soup if necessary with flour and water or beurre maniér.

While soup is cooking, preheat oven to 400 degrees F and unroll puff pastry. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with cheese. Cut into 9 equal squares and bake for 15 minutes or until puffy and golden brown.

*Note- Beurre Manie is French for "kneaded butter". It consists of equal parts four to butter. Combine flour and butter and knead until well combined. Add a small amount at a time to a simmering liquid and whisk until smooth. Add more as needed.

Asian Dumpling Soup

I seem to be on a super-easy soup kick lately, and that's a good thing for the rest of you. A couple weeks ago I wasn't feeling too well and just about any food available was looking rather unappetizing. The first day I felt a little more like eating, I threw together a few things I had on-hand and turned out this soup.

Once I researched a bit it turns out this is nothing new at all. Don't be afraid to add chopped kale or freshly grated ginger to this, it will only make it better.

Asian Dumpling Soup
Printable Recipe
Hands-On Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

24 Asian dumplings such as gyoza (I used frozen vegetable dumplings)
6 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups shelled edamame
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
2 Tablespoons soy sauce

Directions:

1. Heat stock to boiling and drop in dumplings and carrots. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
2. Add in edamame and cook for another 5 minutes. Stir in soy sauce just before serving.

Cool and Creamy Cucumber and Tomato Soup

Cool and Creamy Cucumber and Tomato Soup

Tomatoes are my very favorite food and this is another soup that is just plain good. Creamy and full of just-picked flavor, it's the perfect thing on a hot day.

It goes together quickly and easily with the use of a blender - no heat required! Choose an herb that you really enjoy, I like dill with the sour cream and cucumber in this, but basil would be lovely, too. Sriracha would also be excellent stirred into each serving. Use very ripe and fresh tomatoes for the best flavor.

Cool and Creamy Cucumber and Tomato Soup

Printable Recipe
Ready in 15 minutes

Serves 4 as a starter

6 large or 8 medium ripe plum tomatoes - peeled and seeded

3 medium cucumbers - peeled and seeded

1 small bunch green onions - tops and whites

2 cloves garlic - minced

2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1 cup sour cream (I like Mexican crema for this)

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 Tablespoon freshly snipped dill plus more for garnish (or whichever herb you like)

Pop everything into a blender and puree until smooth. Chill for several hours if desired or serve as-is topped with extra herbs and sliced green onion.

Pappa al Pomodoro

Pappa al Pomodoro

Pappa al Pomodoro is a classic Italian soup from Tuscany that is rich and velvety with a blend of tomatoes, garlic, basil and stale bread. The flavors are simple but the soup is anything but.

We are in the throes of a heatwave here and soup is the last thing on my table as of late, but with tomatoes bursting red-ripe this year after a terrible blight last summer, I can hardly contain myself when it comes to the many delicious versions of tomato soup available.

Give this one a try and I promise you'll get cravings out of the blue for it later on.

Canned tomatoes are the best for this and I prefer San Marzano, which are tomatoes grown near Pompeii in rich volcanic soil and are sweeter and more flavorful than others. I also like my own home-grown plum tomatoes, but when I don't have or can't find either of those, just plain old canned tomatoes will do.

The bread should be stale by 2 days minimum and very crusty. Although Parmesan is not the usual, I really like it on this soup.

Pappa al Pomodoro

Printable Recipe
Ready In 30 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 can (28 ounces) whole San Marzano tomatoes

3 Tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic

30 basil leaves - torn or roughly chopped

2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

3 cups two-day-old crusty bread torn into bite-sized pieces

1/2 cup good quality shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

Kosher salt to taste

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a medium soup pot and add garlic and basil. Stir until fragrant and add tomatoes with juice and stock.

2. Reduce heat to a simmer and mash tomatoes with a spoon or potato masher. They don't need to be completely crushed. Cook for 15 - 20 minutes.

3. Add bread pieces and stir well. Let the bread soak up the juices and then stir until smooth an velvety. Salt to taste.

4. Serve with fresh basil and Parmesan atop.

Soupa Avgolemono

Soupa Avgolemono is one of the most basic soups there is. The Greeks were downright brilliant when they came up with this one. My mother used to make this when I was a child, her recipe having come from either the Bozakis' or the Zanikos', no real idea which family.

Mom always made it with orzo, but this version has rice in it just because I didn't have orzo on-hand. I like mine rather lemony so I use a third cup of fresh lemon juice as opposed to the more standard 3 tablespoons. I also don't like too much rice or pasta, so the amount there is a bit lower than most.

Soupa Avgolemono

Printable Recipe
Ready in 25 minutes

Serves 4

6 cups good quality chicken broth

1/2 cup uncooked rice

2 large eggs

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

Bring broth to a boil and add rice. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes until rice is tender. (Less time for pasta).

Whisk together eggs and lemon juice in a small bowl. Pour in a ladleful of hot stock very slowly, whisking all the while, to temper the eggs so they will not beome scrambled eggs when added into the soup.

Pour into the soup, whisking as you do, and cook for several minutes, stirring constantly.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Garden Vegetable Soup

Take your favorite garden-fresh veggies, toss them into good quality stock, spike it with a few favorite herbs and, voila! Vegetable soup. Easy as that? Yep, easy as that.

I left out starchy veggies here, opting for the ones that are my personal favorites, and this turned out to be exactly what I wanted. It was not heavy, but still hearty enough on its own. I think a crumbling of fresh goat cheese would be absolutely perfect on this - or even a grating of fresh Parmesan. Either way, it's simple and full of vitamins and fiber.

Garden Vegetable Soup

Printable Recipe
Ready in 45 minutes

Serves 6

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion (I like red) diced

1 red pepper - diced

1 green pepper - diced

1 small bunch green onions - sliced, green and white parts

2 cloves garlic - minced

2 stalks celery - diced

6 cups chicken or vegetable stock

2 cups fresh green beans - cut into 1-inch lengths

2 small carrots - peeled and diced

2 small zucchini - diced

6 plum tomatoes - peeled, seeded and diced

1 Tablespoon freshly snipped dill

1 bay leaf

1 Tablespoon freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

sea or Kosher salt to taste

freshly ground pepper

cheese or fresh herbs for serving, if desired

Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onions, peppers, celery and garlic and cook until vegetables begin to sweat.

Pour in stock and add carrots and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and reduce immediately to a simmer.

Simmer for 20 minutes.

Add zucchini, tomatoes and herbs. Simmer for another 20 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve topped with cheese if desired.

Chilled Vegetable Soup

Close to Gazpacho, but with a few subtle differences, this soup is refreshing and full of flavor. Even my 3 year-old couldn't stop eating it.

Rather than puree as the gazpacho is made, I've left the vegetables in tiny little chunks. I like the bite to it and the allspice adds a depth of flavor that I really love.

Chilled Vegetable Soup
Printable Recipe
Ready In: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

1 small cucumber
1 small zucchini
2 ribs celery
1/2 small Spanish onion
1/2 red pepper
1/2 green pepper
2 green onions - white and green parts
2 medium tomatoes - peeled, seeded and diced
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups vegetable stock or water
1 clove garlic
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 Tablespoon freshly snipped dill
1 Tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
Extra vegetables and herbs for garnish

Peel, seed and cut all vegetables into very fine dice (first 8 ingredients). Toss together in a large bowl.
Stir together tomato paste and water or stock and add to veggies. Toss in all seasonings (last 6 ingredients) and stir until well combined. Chill overnight or for at least 4 hours so flavors will blend. Serve with reserved chopped veggies and herbs
on top.

Turkey Club Soup

Another delicious American institution is the Turkey Club. Smoked turkey, bacon, lettuce, tomato and just the right amount of mayo sandwiched between two slices of toasted bread. I think I ordered this one during my teen years more than any other and I have a few kids who order it when we dine out as, as well. As a soup it's just as yummy. Lettuce isn't all that appealing to many once cooked, so I used celery to add some color and green flavor to this and it worked really well.

Turkey Club Soup
Printable Recipe
Ready In: 30 minutes
Serves: 6

1/2 pound bacon - cooked crisp
2 Tablespoons bacon grease
2 Tablespoons flour
1/2 cup celery - finely diced
1 cup diced tomato - I like grape tomatoes for their intense flavor
1 pound smoked turkey - diced large
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup cream
salt and pepper to taste
crumbled bacon, diced tomato and toasted bread squares for garnish

Crumble bacon and set aside.
In a medium soup pot, cook bacon grease and flour together briefly.
Add celery and cook for 3 minutes. Add chicken stock and simmer for 15 minutes.
Stir in tomato and turkey - cook for another 5 minutes.
Pour in cream and stir well - add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with crumbled bacon, diced tomato and tiny toasted bread squares on top.

Chili Cheese Dog Soup

One of America's favorite foods is the chili dog. In my family, it's the chili cheese dog. The kids loved this soup - minced onions and all. The bowl in the photo is garnished with ketchup, mustard and cheese, but you can add any condiment you usually like on your hot dog.

Chili Cheese Dog Soup
Printable Recipe
Ready In: 30 minutes
Serves: 6

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small onion - minced
1 pound lean ground beef
3 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 packet Goya Sazon with cilantro (orange packet)
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 clove garlic - minced
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups beef stock
1 pound all beef hot dogs - cut into thin slices.
2 cups shredded cheddar

Heat a medium soup pot over medium-high heat and add oil.
Cook onion in oil until translucent. Add beef and cook until browned. Drain excess oil.
Add in tomato paste and seasonings. Stir until well combined.
Pour in stock and stir well. Add hot dogs and simmer for 15 minutes.
Stir in cheese until smooth.
Serve topped with ketchup, mustard, cheese, onions, relish or any other hot dog condiment you like!

Chicken and Tomato Bruschetta Soup

This soup is a takeoff of a recipe I recently did for Family.com, Cheesy Chicken and Tomato Bruschetta Turnovers. They were fabulous, if I do say so myself, and I was so enamoured with the flavors that I had to make something else with it.

This goes together very easily, has few ingredients, but is big on flavor. I like a bit of red pepper flakes for spice, but you can make it mild and leave them out.

Chicken and Tomato Bruschetta Soup
Printable Recipe
Ready In 45 minutes
Serves 4-6

8 plum tomatoes - seeded and chopped
1 cup finely diced yellow or white onion
2 large cloves garlic - minced
1/4 cup fresh basil - minced
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
2 cups cooked chicken breast - chopped
4 cups chicken stock
red pepper flakes to taste
4 - 6 slices crusty bread - toasted
1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Combine tomatoes, garlic, onion, basil and salt in a small bowl. Stir well and let stand. This is the tomato bruschetta.
Heat chicken stock to boiling and add 2 cups of tomato mixture. Save any remainder for another use.
Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Add chicken and red pepper flakes and cook for another 10 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
Stir in 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan. Check seasoning and add salt if needed.
Top the toast rounds with Parmesan cheese and float on each bowl of soup.

Spring Vegetable Soup

There is something so very lovely about spring vegetables. More often than not I like them straight-up, sprinkled with sea salt and drizzled with olive oil. I love the 'green-ness' of them and the tender bite. I think this soup retains what I like so much about them.

Cipollini onions are flat, round little onions also known as the 'Italian spring onion'. They can be buggers to peel, but once they are, they add a sweetness I like enough to put up with ornery onion skins.

Spring Vegetable Soup
Printable Recipe
Ready In: 30 minutes
Serves 4 as a main course or 6 for a starter

2 green or spring onions - sliced
2 cipollini onions, sliced thinly
1 large shallot - sliced thinly
1 clove garlic - minced
6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 cup asparagus spears - cut into 1 to 2 inch lengths
1 cup sugar snap peas
8 ounces baby button mushrooms - cut in half
sea salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried mint (optional)

Pour stock into a medium stock pot and add onions and garlic. Bring just to a boil, reduce heat so stock is simmering.
Add asparagus, peas, mushrooms and mint. Stir once and cook for 20 minutes or until asparagus is tender. Serve.

Garlic Soup with Chicken

A couple years ago I wrote a post on Cooking with Anne about my love of garlic. Included at the end of the post was a recipe and this soup was it. As good as it is in its original state, I made a couple tweaks to it according to my own tastes and made it again yesterday in the hopes that it would help to cure a fairly bad cold I've been stricken with.

I added a few cloves of garlic and changed the method slightly. I love this soup for its simplicity. It really is just a basic chicken soup with a bunch of garlic added to it, but the end result is so deliciously different that it deserves a whole post to itself.

The two methods of cooking the garlic provide a depth of flavor that you don't get from just one method. Don't skip it!

Garlic Soup with Chicken
Printable Recipe
Ready In: 1 hour
Serves: 6-8

1 whole chicken - about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds, cut up
2 carrots peeled and diced
2 stalks celery diced
1 large onion diced
2 heads garlic - peel 10 cloves and set aside
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
Freshly cracked pepper and Kosher salt
4 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons flour

1. Put vegetables in the bottom of a large soup pot and add chicken, unpeeled garlic cloves (a little more than 1 head of garlic) and herbs. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Turn heat to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
2. Remove chicken and garlic cloves and set aside.
3. Strain broth and return to pot. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by about one-third.
4. When chicken is cool enough to handle, chop into bite sized pieces and set aside.
5. Squeeze softened garlic from skins and add 1 teaspoon Kosher salt. Mash into a paste (a mortar and pestle works well for this) and set aside.
6. Heat butter in a small skillet over very low heat. Add the 10 peeled garlic cloves and cook until cloves just begin to brown. Remove cloves with a slotted spoon and add to mashed garlic and mash these together as well.
7. Add flour to butter and whisk until a paste forms. Add mashed garlic to flour and butter and whisk until well combined. Add all to chicken broth. Heat until slightly thickened and add chopped chicken back into the pot. Season with salt and pepper as desired.